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Readers who enjoy the best Tuscany has to
offer will find no shortage of compelling wines at virtually all price points
in vintages 2006 and 2007. I continue to be impressed with the consistently
stunning 2006s. Most of the entry-level wines have been on the market for some
time, and as I have written on this
sitepreviously, the vintage offers incredible quality from top
to bottom in all of the region’s main appellations. Over the coming months many
of the higher-end bottlings will be arriving on retailers’ shelves. The best of
these wines offer breathtaking richness in a style that marries ripeness with
structure to a degree that has seldom, if ever, been seen in Tuscany. Although
2006 is very strong across the board, I couldn’t help notice that Maremma in
particular was graced with a number of simply profound wines that readers won’t
want to miss. Simply put, it is hard to go wrong with a bottle of Tuscan red in
2006.

The 2006s are big, full-bodied wines loaded
with super-ripe fruit, but with plenty of stuffing underneath. In many cases
the wines were made in the last month or so of the growing season, particularly
in Chianti Classico, where warm daytime temperatures alternated with cool
evenings. These conditions extended the grapes’ hang time and allowed the fruit
to reach full phenolic ripeness while achieving maximum development of
aromatics, acidity and structure. Growers had the luxury and peace of mind to
harvest without being rushed. In a few spots producers reported harvesting into
October, particularly for the Sangioveses. The 2006s will be tempting to drink
young for their opulent fruit, but the best wines have the potential to age
gracefully for many years. Since their initial release, many of the higher-end
2006s have begun to close down, so readers will want to approach these wines
with caution. If the vintage has a weak spot it is the dry tannins that show up
in a few wines where the warm conditions did not allow growers to achieve the
level of sweetness and ripeness in the tannins that was evident in 2004.

Based on what I have tasted so far, 2007 is
shaping up to be another potentially outstanding vintage in many parts of
Tuscany. 2007 was a freakish year in Tuscany, as it was in many parts of Italy.
The winter was virtually non-existent. Unusually warm, dry weather caused
plants and flowers to bloom a full month in advance. The summer was cooler than
normal, which brought the plants a measure of equilibrium by slowing down the
maturation cycle. Unlike 2006, which was outstanding across the board, in 2007
growers had to do more work to help the fruit ripen fully. Where producers were
diligent, the wines offer an attractive combination of perfumed aromatics and
soft, generous fruit in a style that is more approachable than the firmer
2006s. I tasted a number of entry-level 2007s that are beautiful for the
integrity of their fruit. I am thinking in particular of the 2007 Chiantis, the
best of which are especially well-balanced and succulent. Most of the
higher-end 2007s will be released next year so it is still too early to tell
for sure, but my early impression is that results at that level will also be
more variable than in 2006. Overall, the 2007s don’t appear to have the
structure or potential longevity of the 2006s, but they should drink beautifully
upon release. Readers should buy the 2007s for early to mid-term drinking and
the 2006s to cellar.

Tuscany offers a huge number of delicious
wines in both 2006 and 2007 that can be had for relatively modest sums.
Unfortunately, prices for many of Tuscany’s top bottlings have reached
stratospheric levels. While some of this is undoubtedly a result of the weak US
dollar, the simple reality is that prices for a number of bottlings remain very
high, and it is hard to see the wines selling through at this level,
particularly in an environment where importers, distributors, retailers,
restaurants and the final consumer are all trading down and seeking wines that
deliver considerable value. While long-established estates likely have the
financial resources, and therefore stability, to weather the storm, I am
increasingly concerned for the long-term viability of newer properties that
purchased vineyards and built expensive new cellars under economic assumptions
that are clearly no longer valid, at least over the foreseeable future.